Oral Hygiene

Taking care of your teeth improves your overall personal health. After the placement of braces, it is important to be diligent with brushing and flossing your teeth. We want you to have to have clean and healthy teeth while we work with you to achieve a great smile.

Braces tend to increase the amount of food that hangs around your teeth, so a consistent oral hygiene regimen is important to prevent decay, decalcification, and gum disease. With a combination of personal oral hygiene and regular dental cleanings/checkups with your dentist, we can not only obtain a beautiful smile, but a healthy one as well.

Brushing

It is crucial to brush your teeth at least twice/day to lower your risk of decalcification and decay. Ideally, brushing your teeth four to five times a day is preferred to remove all food that gets stuck on your teeth after meals.

Flossing

While people can often feel that flossing is tedious, it is equally important to help remove food that is stuck between your teeth. To help with task while wearing braces, floss threaders are used to get under the braces wires to reach in-between the teeth.

Mouthrinse

A hydrogen peroxide mouthrinse is helpful to reduce inflammation of your cheeks and gum tissue. It helps your tissues heal while you have braces. Saltwater rinses are another mouthrinse that is helpful to reduce inflammation and irritation of your gum tissues.

Interdental Toothbrush

An interdental toothbrush is a helpful tool to clean underneath the wire and the braces.

Cleaning your Retainers

Cleaning your retainers after braces have been removed should be part of your daily routine to prevent bacteria and plaque from accumulating on your retainer. To clean your retainers dissolve a denture-cleaning tablet in a glass of tap water at room temperature, and soak your appliance once a day.